The Tamer Automaton by Frank Nelson, c. 1980

Carved and painted wood figures of the tamer with articulated head and jaw, the tiger with articulated head and tail, on wood base with big top backdrop, hand-turned mechanism and maker’s label on reverse: "Frank Nelson, Modelmaker and Woodcarver, 99 Bridge Lanes, Hebden Bridge 3175", ht. 14 in. (36 cm), good working condition, small paint rub above tiger’s left eye. Included are the program from a summer show by Frank Nelson at the Serpentine Gallery and a postcard of a similar piece. - Note: The tamer cracks his whip once and asks the tiger to perform his trick. The tiger rotates his tail, shakes his head and refuses. The tamer cracks his whip twice but the tiger still refuses. The tiger cracks his whip thrice, the tiger at last agrees, nods, turns around and places his head in the tamer’s mouth. - Produced in an edition of ten, "The Tamer" was created during Nelson’s early career. He describes it as quite an old piece but one of the best ideas he had ever had. "If you could put a twist in the tail, all was for the better." - Literature: Andrea Robertson, 1992, "Museum of Automata", p. 73; Frank Nelson, "Rude Mechanicals, a Moving Experience", please see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVLrzu95IaI.

布雷克拍品等级是为了方便竞买人判断拍卖品的成色而设置的。布雷克等级用1到6级来标注外观和功能的成色，(从非常好到非常差)。 在目录图册里用括号里的2个数字来表示，前一个数字表示外观成色的级别，后一个数字表示功能成色的级别。如(3/2)表示外观成色是3(满意的)，功能成色2(好)。 成色 定义参照下列标准： 1 - 非常好 (未使用过，没有使用痕迹) 2 - 好 (新，极少的使用痕迹) 3 - 满意的 (普通的使用痕迹) 4 - 及格的 (明显的使用痕迹，某个非主要部件是后配的) 5 - 有缺陷的 (极明显的使用痕迹, 某个主要部件是后配的，功能上有缺陷，需要修理) 6 - 非常差 (严重破损, 缺少重要部件)